How can u tell if ur dilating??

[TKM22]

Is there anyway u can tell if ur cervix is starting to diilate, without being examined  or being in labour? how would u be able to tell urself? is there anythin u would notice imparticular?

[naynay03]

im 38 weeks prego i get checked in 2days if i had dialated...but when u have sex how does it feel?? cause last night sex was odd a and my vagina felf so open and wide...is that normal??

[findinghumility]

The only "sign" that MIGHT indicate dilation and thinning would be if you lost your mucus plug all at once.  I'm sure it's possible to lose your plug with out dilating, but I think it's more typical that you would lose it as you dilate and thin.  That being said you wouldn't have to dilate much to lose it, and for many women it comes out slowly and they don't even know vs it coming out all in one big clump.  I've had it both way with my last two pregnancies.  That being said once I did lose it I was usually dilated to about a 2.  

[JoyRenee]

They usually start checking for dilation at 36 weeks. You can decline it. Being dilated/effaced is not indicative of when you'll go into labor. Likewise, NOT being dilated/effaced doesn't mean you'll be pregnant forever. Labor just happens when it wants to. I wouldn't try to do a cervical check on yourself as you risk getting an infection and might not even know exactly what to be checking for.

Ask your doctor when they start checking.

[TKM22]

awww wow i am so plz for u hun, i guess ur baby is doing as he/she is told lol.  well ill keep u posted n u do the same, but goodluck n hope all goes well :)

[chantal21]

No problem! I thought for sure I had dilated more yesterday with all the pains and pulling I was feeling down there, but when my midwife checked me today, everything is still the same at 4cm.  
Let me know how tomorrow goes and if anything is happening.
I am feeling pretty good. Had a lot of contractions yesterday and only a couple today. Baby grew again! yay! I can tell cause my belly is so much bigger now. I get off of bedrest in 4 days! I am so happy about that.

[TKM22]

oh rite ok thanks chantal i was jst curious as i thought i was possibly dilatin but im hopin to get checkd tomoro. how r u feeling anyway? ru still on bedrest and have u had anymore contractions?

[chantal21]

As far as I know there is no way of knowing it. Unless you know how to check your cervix yourself, you won't know if you are dilating unless your doc does an exam.